Updated: June 20, 2024

Everyone's favorite B9 Robot from "Lost in Space", Bob May the real man inside the silver metal mechanical man.

Born in 1939, Bob May's career began at the age of two years old in 1941, working with his grandfather, Chic Johnson of the "Hellzapoppin" comedy team of Olsen and Johnson. May worked with his family playing theatres, nightclubs and hotel supper clubs all over the world, along with their many television shows.

May left the family show on two separate occasions. The first time to go to New York City where, for a year, he performed in the Broadway hit, "Life with Father" in the role of Harlin. The second time was when he was cast in an even bigger role for Uncle Sam. However, this did not curtail performing with his family, when he could wrangle a furlough.

Bob Mays' career was not impaired by the service since the USO needed in-house performers when the outside shows could not reach the camps. Bob gave much to the entertainment of the soldiers, as he Bob's Hollywood debut was with the encouragement and confidence of the ever popular Jerry Lewis. This was the first of nine pictures with Jerry that would set Bob firmly in Hollywood as an established and revered actor in many films as seen in his resume. It was without question that Bob would find his way into the living rooms of the American home. On most any night he could be found performing in such shows as; "Red Skelton", "McHales Navy", and as The Robot in Irwin Allen's "Lost in Space".

When Irwin Allen could not use Bob May in his Robinson family cast for LIS, someone suggested to Irwin that Bob would be short enough to fit inside the robot, as they needed someone to be "inside" the torso to work the controls and lights etc. Although being inside B9 robot was still a bit of a squeeze for Bob, he managed to fit inside the robot's torso and became the physical presence of the now legendary mechanical man.

Intermixed with all of the shows, Bob still finds time to work in his first loved medium, nightclubs. He has worked the gambit from coast to coast in such well known clubs as - The Latin Quarter, The Riviera, and Chicago's well known hot spot, The Chez Paris. Since Bob had the groundwork laid, thanks to his grandfather, he established himself in the areas of producing and directing. From him, Bob learned what a show needed in order to make it a success. Bob May has not only directed his own productions, but also for Olsen and Johnson, as well as serving as Jerry Lewis' dialogue director and looping director.

Bob is married to Judy May. They have adult children and grandchildren.

Filmography:

Motion Pictures: New Interns Young Interns; All Fall Down; Ensign Pullver; Beach Blanket Bingo; A Tiger Walks Quick Before It Melts; Roustabout; Jailhouse Rock; How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying; Last Boy Scout; Palm Springs Weekend; Harlow 9; Jerry Lewis' Films ( Starting With "Nutty Professor" ).

Cable Television: Sci-Fi Space Special; Sci-Fi Channel Intro; All Sports ( Football Show ); Olsen & Johnson Tribute; Lost in Space Tribute; The Fantasy Worlds of Irwin Allen; Sci-Fi Robot Special; Commercials Pepsi, Mrs. Filberrs Pudding, Chevron, Mr. Clean, Ajax, Bell Telephone, Industrial Show, Chrysler Dodge, Plymouth.

TELEVISION - ARREST IN TRIAL; STREETS OF LAREDO; HIGH SCHOOL ALL- AMERICAN; F.B.I.; 12 O'CLOCK HIGH; 77 SUNSET STRIP; HAWAIIAN EYE; THE BUICK SHOW; ALL STAR REVIEW; COLGATE COMEDY HOUR; RED SKELTON SHOW; SKATE BIRDS; THE ROARING 20'S; STUDS; DR. KILDARE; DOBIE GILLIS; RIFLEMAN; SURFSIDE 6; TIME TUNNEL; VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA; McHALE'S NAVY; LOST IN SPACE; MR. NOVAK; NO TIME FOR SERGEANTS; FAMILY FEUD; THE LIEUTENANTS; MILTON BERLE SHOW; STEVE ALLAN SHOW; CHEYENNE; THIS IS YOUR LIFE; GOOD MORNING, AMERICA; DONNA REED SHOW; KELLY & CO.SPECIAL TOURS; HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS; SKATING VANITIES; THEATER IN THE ROUND.

U.S.A. SERVICE CAMP; WORLD WAR II TOUR OLSEN & JOHNSON LONDON AND AUSTRALIA TOURS; NIGHTCLUBS & HOTEL SUPPER CLUBS LATIN QUARTER - NEW YORK RIVIERA - LAS VEGAS CHEZ PARIS - CHICAGO RIVERSIDE - RENO HELLZAPOPPIN CLUB MIAMI FLAMINGO - LAS VEGAS LAST FRONTIER - LAS VEGAS MINT - LAS VEGAS BEVERLY HILLS COUNTRY CLUB-KENTUCKY ADOLPHIS - DALLAS MONTELEONE - NEW ORLEANS FAIRMONT - SAN FRANCISCO ITALIAN VILLAGE - SAN FRANCISCO COLONIAL INN - ST. PETERSBURG CHASE HOTEL - ST. LOUIS MULBOCK HOTEL - KANSAS CITY (And many, many more).

STAGE PRODUCTIONS - SON'S A FUN; LAUGHING ROOM; ONLY STANDING ROOM ONLY; PARDON OUR FRENCH; LIFE WITH FATHER; PARDON OUR ANTENNA; HELLZA - SPLASHIN OKLAHOMA (ARMY BASE) GUYS & DOLLS (ARMY BASE) HELLZAPOPPIN - VARIOUS EDITIONS FUNS - A - BUSTINSPECIAL SHOWS NAVY RELIEF SHOWS CANADIAN NATIONAL EXPOSITION (CNE) IOWA STATE FAIR NEW YORK STATE FAIR OMAHA HOME SHOW LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPT. SHOW HIGH HOPES (SPECIAL OLYMPICS SHOW) TEXAS LAW ENFORCEMENT SHOW RETIRED F.B.I. & SECRET SERVICE PRESIDENT TRUMAN PRESIDENT NIXON PRESIDENT REAGAN TEMPLE EMANUEL LT. GOVERNOR REINECKE FATHER FLANIGAN'S BOY'S TOWN.

VIDEO TAPES - ROBOT MEMORIES; LOST IN SPACE; SEMI - PRO FOOTBALL HIGHLIGHTS; VARIOUS THEATRICAL ROASTS; VARIOUS LIVE RADIO SHOWS; TECHNICAL BACKGROUND PRODUCER - 43 YEARS DIRECTOR - 46 YEARS STAGE MANAGER - 42 YEARS LIGHTING DIRECTOR - 43 YEARS STUNT COORDINATOR - 10 YEARS DIALOGUE DIRECTOR - 5 YEARS LOOPING DIRECTOR - 5 YEARS SPECIAL EVENTS COODINATOR -20 YEARS WRITER - 20 YEARS DANCE DIRECTOR - 25 YEARS CO-PRODUCER - 3 YEARSINTERESTS BEING WITH MY FAMILY GOLF SOFTBALL FOOTBALL BASKETBALL HORSEBACK RIDING SINGING DANCING FISHING PHOTOGRAPHY COACHING FOOTBALL BOATING SPECIAL OLYMPICS SCI FI CONVENTIONS PUBLIC APPEARANCES